


Whatever you say, Buck

by nanasteiger



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Buck, Fluff, I just want Evan Buckley to be happy, M/M, also i don't really know how light duty works? i don't know a lot take it for good please, buck is IN LOVE, buck is SOFT, everyone knows and tries to make them say it, is fluff still a tag, kinda established relationship, not even one bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-07 15:53:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20978474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanasteiger/pseuds/nanasteiger
Summary: Tumblr prompt: I'd love to see a fic where they start dating but decide to keep it private for a bit, except literally everybody knows because they're not secretive at all and everybody catches them here and there kissing or being affectionate with each other.The first one to talk about it was, and it wasn’t really a surprise, Captain Nash.“So,” he said, approaching him in the locker room, “what’s going on between you and Diaz?”





	Whatever you say, Buck

**Author's Note:**

> Yesterday afternoon I've asked for buddie prompts on tumblr. I have now almost ten of them saved and I had to start somewhere.  
This fic prompt was: as for a prompt, I'd love to see a fic where they start dating but decide to keep it private for a bit, except literally everybody knows because they're not secretive at all and everybody catches them here and there kissing or being affectionate with each other.  
I guess I tried but it's not _really, exactly_ what the prompt asked but i hope you'll enjoy it anyway.  
Also, I wanted to post it as soon as i finished so it's not betad, i'll probably rivisit something about grammar along the way.

If Buck should think about it, like _ really _ think about it, he would probably say that he did see it coming. For him, sex and relationships were something fun, something easy and they never came with much thought, that meaning that if he liked a person and that person like him, he was down for it. Someone could even say that he usually wasn’t very careful when it came to relationships.

Going back in memory he could say that he sort of had an epiphany when he was around twelve or something. He was at the park and Maddie was _ babysitting _him while their parents were who knows where. He was starting to go through puberty but he had already discovered that he was pretty, if not prettier than most, and he used it to his advantage. Sure, he was still gangly and he still had to really fully grow in his limbs, but little girls at his school loved him for his blue eyes and his easy, flirty smile. He was the first in his class to actually kiss a girl, he was a god between mortals. 

The epiphany, if we want to call it that, arrived that afternoon while Maddie was somewhere hooking up with his new boyfriend, and he was playing with a group of boys he just met. There was this boy, this beautiful, tall, funny guy that could have been a couple of years older than him, so handsome, laughing at Buck’s jokes, choosing him first at all games they decided to play. He just said to himself, _ hey, I really like him _ and _ I would really like to kiss him _. Just like he had kissed Sharon from P.E.. 

That evening he told Maddie about it, not because he thought he was something he needed to get off his chest or was a great announcement, but because he told everything to his big sister. 

“That’s nice, Buck,” she said. “He was really pretty, you are right.”

She smiled, sat on his bed and then said with a very low voice “but maybe don’t tell mum and dad. I think it’s great that you like boys and girls but not everyone may think it that way.”

He nodded because he knew but he couldn’t really understand what was wrong with it. He had heard bullies in his school call people names, and he knew what those words meant, but he couldn’t see how that small part of his life could deserve such a treatment. That boy at the park was pretty and he liked him and he hoped to see him again. But also Sharon was really pretty and he liked her too. 

Growing up he understood a little better, he discovered that the word _ bisexual _ existed and he felt pretty confident identifing with it, but he never indroduced himself _ Hi, I’m Buck and I’m bisexual. _It wasn’t because he was ashamed or something else, he just thought it was his business and if wanted to go clubbing and the night would end bringing a guy home, he did it. Maybe this made him lose a couple of friends during the years, both because they were homophobic or simply offended he hadn’t tell them, but he didn’t care that much. 

When he arrived at the 118, he felt the same way. He felt comfortable with the team, he knew that Hen had a wife home and they were all chill with all that, so he shouldn’t need to worry about their judgement should it come up, but he never felt the need to come out. 

So, yeah, he probably should have seen it coming, when Eddie Diaz arrived at the station, but somehow he was still very much caught by surprise when it happened. 

***

The first one to talk about it was, and it wasn’t really a surprise, Captain Nash. 

He probably knew long before Buck did, but it felt good to see that his captain knew him so well, that he cared enough to notice. 

“So,” he said, approaching him in the locker room, “what’s going on between you and Diaz?”

His tone was light, almost teasing, not like it had been the first day of Eddie at the station, when Buck was being childish and trying very hard (and failing, oh how he failed) to not bond with the new recruit. 

“We are friends, isn’t obvious?” 

Bobby nodded but kept sitting on the bench, looking up at Buck that was still changing from him civilian clothes. He stayed stoic for a couple of seconds, then his eyebrow did something ambiguous and at last he stood to go near him and patted him on the back. 

“Whatever you say, Buck. I’m glad you guys stayed close after the tsunami” and then left. 

When Eddie arrived, with just a couple of minutes to spare before the start of the shift, already taking off his shirt before even closing the door properly, Buck was still sitting near his locker. 

“Where is everyone else?”

“Good morning to you, too, sunshine” he said, standing up and leaning against the wall to give a better look, “you are really late, they are already having breakfast. They probably ate all the donuts and drank all the good coffee.” 

“And why are you still here, then?” Eddie knew why Buck was still there, he had an amused smile on his lips and was trying not to fall while he putting on the pants with one hand and closing the locker with the other. He was wanted to hear him say it. 

“Because I wanted to do this…” he moved closed and put a hand on Eddie waist. When he leaned to kiss him Eddie was already halfway there, their lips touching while they were both still smiling. 

“Good morning” he whispered, noses still touching. “C’mon, let’s go grab some breakfast.”

***

Buck liked to think, and say but only to Eddie, that they were meant to be. Eddie laughed the first time he called him his soulmate but he knew he was touched. 

When they started dating, or better yet, when they admitted they were already dating and actually said that the dinners in Diaz home or the trips to the Sunday market, or the long walks on the beach talking about feelings, where dates, Buck just understood. He had never felt what he was feeling about Eddie and he had never wanted more a family than the family Eddie was giving him. 

They liked their privacy and since Buck was still on light duty he wasn’t too much around the station. He knew they were trying to keep him included, inviting him to dinner with the other when they could, texting him anecdotes of their day around the city, calling him first when some of them ended up in the hospital like it had happened a million times. 

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to tell them they were together -that Buck was mostly living in Eddie’s house, picking Chris from school, helping him with homework, keeping lots of clothes in Eddie’s closet and doing the laundry at least twice a week-, they just didn’t talk about it. They acted like they always acted around the team and since nobody had said anything Buck reconsidered that maybe he should have picked up earlier his feelings for Eddie, since nobody batted an eye at them even when they thought they were being a little too affectionate. 

Maddie was the second to insinuate something more. 

“Where are you?” she asked on the phone. Buck looked at his surroundings at considered if it was wise to lie.

“I’m at Eddie’s place, why?”

“Eddie is at the station”

“Yeah, I know. Do you need anything?” he was in the middle of cooking dinner while Christopher was watching some cartoons on the tv in the other room. 

“I wanted to ask you if you wanted to come with me and Chimney to the karaoke place tonight, but it seems like you’re busy...” she paused as she was waiting for him to say something to disagree with her. Buck knew his sister too well and waited two beats, tasting the sauce he was letting simmer to let them pass before she talked again. 

“Why are you at Eddie’s place on a wednesday afternoon without Eddie?” 

“What is different about a wednesday? Would it be okay if it was monday?” he heard her huffing and laughed. “I’m babysitting Chris. The act of babysitting implies the absence of the parent, you used to do that, you should remember how it works.” 

Buck was kinda stalling, he knew that. He knew that Maddie was going to become a lot more observant and would probably bring this up again, and again _ and again _ until he would tell her everything. And ask Chim to do the same, probably. 

“You sure the parent is absent?” 

“You just said yourself that Eddie is at the station.” 

Chris looked at him from the couch and smiled. Commercial breaks meant he could come to the kitchen and taste whatever Buck was cooking. 

“Whatever you say, Buck. Say hi to Christopher for me.” 

***

Next, without any surprise at all, were Hen and Chimney, 

Buck was actually waiting for them, and he and Eddie had spent a whole evening trying to guess how they were going to approach the argument. Eddie was more inclined versus the idea that they would try to catch them in some compromising situation, ambushing them as much as they could. He was really sure they would appear out of nowhere at the house at any moment and kept reminding him to keep at least the pants on all the time. 

Buck believed that they would just observe, at least for a while, to see if Maddie had been right or she was just hallucinating things. At this point, hiding their relationship was more fun than convenient. 

They still enjoyed having their little bubble all to themselves and they knew that when eventually they had to come clean, some changes would occur. It was nice, having this little secret, the excitement of the new, the thrill of discovering each other, body and mind. 

Being friends with Eddie was great but being his partner was better. Buck wanted to keep that notion all to himself, wanted to be only one knowing how sweet Eddie would look when he smiled just because Buck had wrapped an arm around his shoulder, how caring he was when he cooked for him, how perfect the world was when they were holding hands or sit one on top of the other. 

Only Buck knew how Eddie held him at night helping him with nightmares and only Eddie knew how strong Buck had really been. Only Eddie knew how good of a father Buck was growing to be and only Buck knew how Eddie struggled to not feel guilty after Shannon’s death. 

He wasn’t scared that letting everyone know would change their relationship, they were already stronger than that, but he was simply jealous of their intimacy. He knew that question would come and answers would be requested. _ How did it happen? When? Where? Who kissed who? Who confessed first? Are you going steady? Does Christopher know? _And he was jealous of how lucky he felt to be the only one of knowing those answers, to really knowing Eddie. 

In the end, it happened like neither of them had guessed. An ambush. 

It was just not even a week after that infamous call with Maddie, when Hen and Chimney approached Buck. They were waiting for him outside the hospital, after his therapy session. Hen with her arms crossed against her SVU, Chim with black aviators, ready for war. 

“Eddie asked us to pick you up, he’s doing a couple of hours of overtime.” 

Buck already knew that, he and Eddie were talking about Eddie trying to take a couple more shifts, doing longer hours to try and save some money for them to find a bigger house, where Buck would move in permanently, with more room for the three of them, with not so much stairs. He had told him this morning, leaving Buck still wrapped in their bed and half asleep, that he probably couldn't make it for the end of his appointment. He just assumed he had to take a cab home but he didn’t mind a ride from his friends. 

“Sure, thank you.” he just said before climbing in the car. 

“So…” Hen started after leaving the hospital, “how the therapy going?”

“Great. The doctor changed my schedule and now I have to go just a couple of times a month to keep everything under control, but I think I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.” 

She smiled, genuinely. They were all more than aware how much Buck wanted to go back riding with them. After the mess from thlast time he wanted to do everything properly and he felt hopeful, and stronger. 

“I’m sorry but there won’t be any surprise party for your return this time, you already had one and you blew it.”

The remark from Chimney stung a little, especially thinking in what capacity he really _ blew it _ last time, but laughed with them. He was glad that they could finally joke about it and the rest of the ride went on peacefully until the car stopped in front of Eddie’s house. 

“You do know that this isn’t my house, right?” he knew what they were doing and their twin grins confirmed it. 

“Your car is here.” she said. 

“And you didn’t give us any directions.”

He climbed out of the car before they could start with their interrogation. “A car I can’t drive. I’ll wait for Eddie to really take me to my home.” 

“Whatever you say, Buck.”

They drove away, waving at him from the window, but he was glad they didn’t comment on the fact that he had a key to Eddie’s place. 

***

If Buck should think about it, like _ really _ think about it, he would probably say that he did see it coming. It was obvious and he felt kinda dumb for not seeing it before. 

It was his first day back, no pain in his leg, no desk duty, no blood clogs, just him in his uniform and ready to go. He and Eddie had started going around house haunting and they were kinda hooked on a place not so far from the station, two bathrooms, lots of open spaces, amazing master bedroom. Buck felt on cloud nine. 

When he saw Athena in the kitchen he wasn’t surprised, he just ran to her with his million dollar smile. He was so happy he wanted to hug her and spin her around, but one look from her made him change his mind. 

“Good morning to the most gorgeous sergeant of all Los Angeles” he said instead and she smiled, patting his cheek. 

“Look who’s in a good mood today.” 

“I am indeed” there was no need to hide it. 

He wasn’t afraid to say that he had been a little bit scared of her at the beginning but she was softer with him now, and he was glad to call her his friend. It was easy to speak with Athena, he had never met someone who could give you all her attention, really listen, give you the right advice and always be right. 

“I’m glad everything turned out fine for you, Buckaroo.” 

“Who would have thought, right?” He laughed at his own misfortune of the last years. “First Abby left me, then the leg and his complication, then a freaking tsunami! I don’t know, maybe the universe was trying to teach me something…” 

His therapist always said that he shouldn’t look at what happened to him as some kind of cosmic karma but he can always try to use the events of the last year as a school, lessons that helped him grow and become the man he was now. He liked his new therapist. 

“And look at me now! I have my job back, I have a new solid and loving relationship and my life is great!” 

Buck heard the team whispers from downstairs and he knew that they were getting closer. 

“Are you in a relationship? I didn’t know…” 

When the rest was at the end of the stairs, big cake in the captain’s hands and puzzled faces, Buck only saw the look on Eddie’s face, radiant as usual, kind as he only was with him and Chris. He really was the most beautiful man he had ever met in his whole life. 

“Oh yeah,” he said without breaking eye contact with his boyfriend, without being able to stop smiling. “Eddie and I are looking for a place together, you guys will have to help us move when we find the one.” 

The chaos that erupted right after was only a background of _ I knew it! _ and _ it was goddamn time _that was shushed by Athena. Buck wasn’t even listening, he was just waiting for Eddie to come to him and kiss him. 

“Okay, I want my money and I want them now.” She said standing up, smiling proudly at them. Hen huffed but left the room to go and grab Athena’s request. 

“What did you bet?”

If Buck would think about it, he probably would have probably seen it coming. 

“We have known you two are together from _ months _ ” Chimney said, sitting at the table and starting to cut in the new version of the _ welcome back Buck _ cake “Hen and I saw you two making out multiple times in the locker room, _ gross _ by the way, and Maddie says she’s scarred for life after she saw you getting a little too cozy on your couch one day. You guys didn’t even _ hear her! _” 

Eddie had the decency to blush but Buck just grabbed him and put him on his lap. 

“So did you bet how long it would take us to finally spill the beans?” Eddie placed a kiss on his temple and he held him a little tighter on his waist. 

“No,” interrupted Athena. “We bet to _ whom _you would spill the said beans.” 

Hen came back and gave the money to Athena who was happily eating cake, giggling with his husband. 

“It was so easy, I don’t know why you guys were complaining so much,” she said. The rest of the team groaned and if Buck had to be honest, it didn’t feel like they really had tried too much to get it out them. He suspected that they had tried more and harder with Eddie since he had been at the station more than him, but he was glad he had been the one to talk about it. Just like with his sexual orientation, they didn’t have to make a big announcement, he was just happy with Eddie, _ so so so much happy, _and now that everything was right in its place it came naturally talking about them as a couple. They could probably handle a couple questions and then go home together to their little bubble. 

“I just thought it was time we reclaimed our rightful place as the cutest couple in this station.” He said, raising the glass of sparkling cider Eddie had put in his hand to Athena, winking. 

“Whatever you say, Buck.”


End file.
